Buffy couldn’t stop laughing. Who knew underneath all that seriousness and ‘The world is out to get me’, William had such a great sense of humor? And one that fit hers so perfectly? She was having a fantastic time on their date, feeling once again that sense of William starting to relax in his own skin. He’d made her laugh so hard that she’d even forgotten about Faith.
They’d run the gamut of sharing childhood stories, to most embarrassing moment stories to movies seen and books read. William was a smart man and Buffy found she was sorry that all his knowledge had been wasted on the Adams Empire for so long.
“You’re going to do great at Boston magazine, Will,” she told him over coffee after dinner.
“Am I?” he asked, grinning and puffing his chest a bit.
“You are. You’re very intelligent and have a charming and commanding personality.”
“I don’t know about commanding,” William muttered, sipping his coffee.
“Oh, I do,” Buffy chuckled. “You can be quite persuasive and commanding when you want something.”
“You should know, huh? Considering how I want you,” he told her boldly, his eyes sparkling.
Buffy blushed and wagged a finger at him. “Now, now, none of that.”
“Couldn’t resist. I think the wine loosened my tongue a bit…and the fact that I enjoy your company and feel so comfortable with you. You know Buffy; I hadn’t been myself in so long I forgot what being myself was like. You’ve helped me get back to that.”
“I’m glad I could do that for you.”
“And I like making you blush.”
She blushed again, and looked away, shaking her head at her foolishness. “It’s amazing to me that I actually have that ability. I figured with my past…” she shook her head, deciding not to dwell on that. Not tonight. “Not to mention giving birth. I figured after that, I would never have any modesty again.”
He looked down for a minute and Buffy thought perhaps she’d made a wrong move. After all, he hadn’t been allowed in for the birth of his son.
Just as she was about to apologize, his head popped up, and he was smiling softly. “And yet you do have the ability to blush still.”
Buffy smiled back, “Must be you. You bring it out in me.”
That seemed to cheer him considerably. “Well, I’m glad I can have that affect on you.”
They sat there, smiling at one another for a moment.
“I’ve had a lot of fun tonight, William,” she told him. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, luv. Date’s not over until I bring you home.”
“Ah, yes, my bad. “
While they waited for the return of William’s credit card, Buffy asked him when he thought his parents might want to see Brandon.
“Can you bring him by tomorrow? I’ll take you out to lunch,” William told her, shoving his card in his wallet.
“I get another date already. You like me, you really like me,” Buffy teased and William laughed.
“Yeah, Buffy, he told her, I really like you.”
Buffy stood, smiling from ear to ear, suddenly feeling on display.
William stood and offered his arm, tucking his wallet in his back pocket with his other hand.
“Can we make a detour?” Buffy asked as he escorted her from the table.
William started to head in the direction of Faith. “What are you going to do, Buffy?”
“Just say ‘hi’, that’s all.”
Plastering a sweet smile on her face, Buffy swept by Faith’s table and waved to her ‘friend’. “Hello, Faith.”
Faith paled and her mouth dropped at the sight, but Buffy kept moving. She didn’t care to stop, didn’t care to know who the new guy was. All she wanted to do was let Faith know that she saw her and that made sure that she was seen. With William. Her date. Possibly one day soon, her boyfriend.
Once they arrived at Buffy’s apartment, William continued to be a perfect gentleman, opening the car door for her, the door to her apartment building and always offering his arm for her to latch on to. He was quickly becoming someone she wanted to latch on to and not let go. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and just go for it, but honestly at that point in time; she was enjoying how they were. She liked the dating and the getting to know one another. There was no full bloom relationship though there was the promise of one. It wasn’t in her to lead him on, but she wanted to take her time, make sure this was good for her and for him. Granted he said he loved her, but he was still, well, like Brandon. He was a man with experience and yet, he was a man that was just recently thrust into the world, the “real world” and he was still getting his sea legs in it.
It was amazing; she had to admit, to watch. William’s metamorphosis from “Spike” the rebellious kept man, to William, the wondrous little boy that just wanted to make things right with undertones of “Spike” hidden underneath. Buffy didn’t want to impede his progress, she wanted to watch him grow; see him gain some ground and confidence in himself once more. And for that matter, she was doing the same. She was gaining her sea legs in what it meant to go on a date and be wooed. As Brandon grew, so were his parents.
So, now, at her apartment with a blushing Willow and self assured, if not eerily quiet Oz, Buffy bid them good night and thank you and asked William if he wanted to see his son before he left. Granted Brandon was sleeping, but still, she figured she could put the offer there and then hopefully he’d do that while she figured out how to kiss him goodnight. At first she was going to allow him to kiss her and make it short and sweet, but feeling on a high from the evening they’d shared, and how he made her feel like a Princess, as promised, she wanted to blow his mind. Without sex. Go figure.
So while William bent over Brandon’s crib and kissed his son softly on the forehead with promises to see him the following day, Buffy had a plan.
As soon as they were outside Brandon’s door and it was shut, William headed to the living room and Buffy grabbed his arm, tugged him to her, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him passionately. His hands stayed respectively on her waist, though when he pulled her closer to him, she could feel his erection straining in his pants. It didn’t disgust her or anger her. It pleased her.
“Good night,” she whispered, resting her forehead against his and dropping her hands from his face. “Thank you. I had a great time.”
“You’re welcome,” he gasped, panting for air.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said and broke away from him completely, smiling.
He grinned. “Tomorrow.”
“After all, tomorrow is another day.”
“Walk me to the door?”
Nodding, she moved around him and he followed her down the hall. Part of her wanted him to grab her, spin her in his arms and kiss her breathless once more, and yet another part of her just reveled in the idea of it, and wouldn’t in the actual action of it.
William seemed to get that and didn’t make one more move as he walked out the door, turned to her and waved, grinning.
Shutting the door, Buffy leaned against it and giggled like a schoolgirl with a crush.